Stale, male and pale

[ladyblablah]

I bloody loved this description of the yawny white middle class man who dominate the upper echelons of many of our institutions and businesses.

On a very general level, I see very little inspirational about these grey types, just robotic, boxed in values, there 'by the grace of God'.

And at last a term to insult them.

Yay.

This kind of loops back to the meritocracy thing - how do we know they aren't the best ones for the job given that women have fewer opportunities to prove that and the threshold of proof is often higher

I agree Petula; we don't really know. But the logic does suggests that there is political incentive in their appointment. It's a shame we have to have this debate at all, but this is where we are and it's a stage to get through.

Also, as you say the burden of proof is perhaps greater ie they are seen as less credible

I'm saying that Esther McVey's background for a ministerial position is of similar weight to men who have been appointed to such positions in the past. Media experience and small business ownership, with a number of years as an MP.

I completely disagree with your position that women have to be better than men for a particular group of positions to justify their appointments.

I think it's clear where we both stand so I'm signing off for now.

Fair enough Bill, but I'm still unsure as to whether you acknowledge that McVey being a woman was a factor in her selection. You seem to want to challenge my assessment that it was.

Well, given that one of the posts vacated was formerly occupied by the unspeakable Gove, surely almost anyone would be a better candidate than the previous incumbent?